His Little Brother

Chapter Two

Jazz drove home with dinner at David's in mind. She still couldn't believe that she would be spending an entire evening with him and his family.

She dragged herself out of her Mini Cooper when she pulled in the driveway, knowing exactly who she needed to talk to for sound advice.

"Mom! Are you here?"Jazz called out as she unlocked the front door.

"Yeah, honey, I'm out back."

"How are the tomatoes looking?" 

"Really good. I'm glad your aunt recommended gardening. It really helps clear my head when I take a break from writing," her mom told her smiling. 

Jazz couldn't help but admire her mom's beauty as she smiled up at her only child. Her brown skin glowed in the afternoon sunlight, and her dark brown, almond shaped eyes gleamed as she admired her tomatoes.

While Jazz inherited her mom's eyes and thick, natural hair, that's pretty much all she felt she had that resembled her. Everyone always reminded Jazz that she favoured her dad. It's not like he was ugly or anything. Jazz just preferred to be compared to her mother, who was incredibly beautiful.

"Jazz, you're daydreaming again," her mom interrupted her thoughts.

"Sorry, mom."

"It's okay, honey. I was saying that your dad is making pasta tonight. I think he said that his last class ends at 6."

Jazz pretended to look around the garden at the rest of her mom's vegetables, trying her best to sound nonchalant. "Umm...I actually have to work on a project with a classmate tonight."

"Really? Are you going to have dinner at their house?"

"Yeah, he invited me over."

"That was nice of him. Anyone I know?"

"Uhh...David Cunningham," Jazz finally told her, now playing with invisible lint on her jeans.

"David?" her mom asked, looking over at Jazz from where she had been kneeling.

Jazz watched the confusion on her mom's face turn to amusement.

"You mean the boy that you couldn't stop crying over after Buster bit you back in... What was it? The fourth grade?" She laughed out loud.

"Fifth grade. And thanks for the reminder," Jazz told her dryly.  

"Oh honey, I'm just teasing," she said, now up from the floor in her dirt-stained overalls. She led Jazz into the kitchen, still chuckling.

"I know mom, but this is a big deal. I've single-handedly made a complete fool of myself in front of David for years. And the worst part about it is that he still doesn't know I exist. I think he just learned my name today."

"Jazz, just be yourself. If it's meant to be, then it will be. You are beautiful, smart and one of the most kind-hearted people I know. You have so much going for you. This David boy would be crazy not to see it."

"Thanks mom." Jazz sighed but smiled.

"Anytime honey. Do you want a snack before you go? I can make you a sandwich?"

"No, thanks. I'm too nervous to eat. Besides, I need to find something decent to wear," Jazz called out to her mom as she half ran upstairs to her room.

______

By the time Jazz stood on the Cunningham's wrap-around porch, she had changed into a white V-neck T with her favourite jeans and her favorite pair of Converse.